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Fig. 6 | BMC Evolutionary Biology

Fig. 6

From: The evolutionary and coevolutionary consequences of defensive microbes for host-parasite interactions

Fig. 6

Coevolutionary fitness dynamics for the pathogen-defensive microbe interaction. a The fitness set of defensive microbes - pathogen interaction is predominantly determined by the density of defensive microbes. As defensive microbes increase in density, coevolutionary fitness (associated with the interaction) weakens as defensive microbes (i) increase competitive effects on pathogens and (ii) reduce pathogen infectivity. b Fitness derivative (dF/dH) due to hosts on fitness set (coevolution) of defensive microbes and pathogens. c Fitness derivative with respect to infection rate (λ) (in the defensive microbe-pathogen fitness set). Fitness changes are positive when the density of defensive microbes is very low and pathogen density is high. As defensive microbes increase in density, this reduces infection potential and increases the effects of competition with the pathogen so the changes in selection declines. When pathogens are at low density, this change in selection is weakened. (Default parameter values r=2.0, μ=0.01, λ=0.01,γ=1.1, β 1=0.01, β 2=0.01, μ P =0.01, μ Dm =0.01, r Dm =4.0, K Dm =100)

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